Take me out to the ball game
Coach and avid American sports fan Brenton Sanderson will get an opportunity to live out a baseball fantasy on Friday night when he throws the ceremonial first pitch in game three of the series between the Adelaide Bite and Melbourne Aces at Norwood Oval.
Prior to taking to the pitching mound, Sanderson and Bite General Manager Pat Kelly will take part in a jumper/jersey swap.
‘Sando’ will throw the first pitch at 6:57pm ahead of the start of the game at 7pm. Tickets to the match are available at the Norwood Oval gates.
Not quite home sweet home
A night out at the baseball will grant Sanderson some more time away from his fabulous, but unfurnished new house.
In a recent radio interview with 891 Mornings on the ABC, the former Geelong player and assistant coach revealed he was sleeping on a mattress on the floor until his furniture was delivered from Victoria later in the month.
He knocked back offers of bed frames and bean bags, saying, “I arrive at work pretty early and get home pretty late. I’m in bed at 9pm and up early again the next morning, so it’s fine for the moment.”
‘Sando’ isn’t the only person at West Lakes feeling the pinch of pre-season, with all reports indicating the players are also battling to stay awake much past dinner time.
Hosts with the most
Fortunately, the Club’s new interstate recruits are enjoying all the creature comforts of home having been taken in by teammates in the lead-up to Christmas.
Brad Crouch is staying with former best and fairest winner Richard Douglas and his brother. Josh Jenkins is sharing a house with Andy Otten and Matt Jaensch, while Tom Lynch has been included on the cooking roster in Patty Dangerfield’s residence, which is also home to Sam Martyn and rookie draft-hopeful Will Young.
Sam Kerridge will have to be on his best behaviour after moving in with general manager football operations Phil Harper and his family.
The players will move in with host families or other permanent accommodation in the New Year.
Hair-iffic
Hopefully, Tom, Sam and Will can convince Patty Dangerfield to cut his hair while they are living under his roof.
Dangerfield returned for the start of pre-season training with longer than usual locks and is now sporting the beginnings of a pony-tail.
The larrikin midfielder joked he was hoping to have a fully-fledged ponytail complete with headband by round one, 2012.
At least we hope he was joking …
The new sprint king?
While Patty might not have a challenger for the worst hairstyle at West Lakes, a rival to his title as the fastest player at the Club has emerged.
Earlier in the week, 199cm, 103kg, Jenkins beat all comers to win the 40m sprint.
'Danger' didn't take part in the testing session, but the 2011 Grand Final sprint champion will no doubt be keen to prove his athletic prowess in the next race.
Santa Fun Run Success
Skipper Nathan van Berlo and forward Kurt Tippett donned Santa suits last weekend to support the Variety Children’s Charity Santa Fun Run.
After a gruelling week on the track, the pair opted to completed the shorter (2.75km) distance and insist they could’ve won the event, if they hadn’t agreed to let a fellow competitor past just before the finish line.
